Oregon Writers Colony

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You are here: Home / Oregon Writers Colony and Colonyhouse: A Haven for Writers / History

History

OWC in the Past

Oregon Writers Colony was formed by a group of writers gathered around their mentor, Don James. From the beginning, the founders — and the organization they formed — dedicated their efforts to supporting writers through education and community.

During 1980-82, an organizing committee of Doreen Gandy, Marlene Howard, Lola Janes, Nan Phillips, Joan Picken, Florence Samuels, Thea Shepherd, Gail Tycer and Ed Weinstein met and formed the Don James Invitational Writers Conference.

Most of the original organizing committee became founding board members of Oregon Writers Colony when it received IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit status in 1983.

Their goal was to support writers and establish a permanent writers’ retreat on the Oregon coast, which writers could use for projects and for classes. The organization worked toward these goals by presenting writers conferences and workshops.

Those classes and conferences continued for the next five years.

During this time, The Colonygram newsletter was created, which helped to increase membership. The first editor was Sharon Wood, now Sharon Wood Wortman.

In 1988, they purchased a log home on the ridge in Rockaway Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean to the west and Lake Lytle to the east. Board members Margaret Borland, Sue Bronson, Joleen Colombo, Doreen Gandy, Bonnie Bean Graham, Marlene Howard, Gail McNally, Naomi Stokes, Rae Richen, and Marsha Weber made the decision to purchase Colonyhouse. With a generous gift from Jean Auel and a beneficiary gift from the estate of co-founder, Lola Janes, the Colonyhouse became a reality.

OWC in the Present

Oregon Writers Colony still programs to support the mission of supporting writers at all levels of experience. In addition to teaching craft, we also keep up with changes in technology and the publishing industry, helping writers understand new ways of working with the publishing industry and new opportunities to market their writing.

We also still publish a newsletter for writers and we still have a place, called Colonyhouse, in Rockaway Beach where writers can focus on writing projects and practice their art.

All of our workshops, our annual short story and poetry contests and other services are provided at very little cost.

At Colonyhouse, we have hosted high school and grade school classes and their teachers. These students and teachers come to focus on improving their writing skills. We have an open invitation to a group of Tillamook and Clatsop County writers to use our house for their monthly meeting.

Small writers’ groups from the region can schedule days at Colonyhouse to work together on their projects, often writing during the day and then sharing and critiquing each others’ work in the evening. Colonyhouse has a bookcase of books whose authors worked on them staying at the house. Those works include histories, non-fiction articles, short story anthologies, children’s early readers, young adult fiction and nationally recognized novels of all types.

Our youngest writers have been the children of a group of Parents without Partners, who have come to Colonyhouse to explore the beach and to dictate stories to their parents, giving the children the knowledge that what they feel and imagine is important and is taken seriously.

A Poetry Pole on the west side of the house encourages passers-by to enjoy the fun of words and the wisdom of poets. Paulann Peterson, Oregon’s poet laureate, dedicated the poetry pole in 2011.

We are proud to have worked for many years on the mission of supporting writers.

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Upcoming Events

Champaign

2021 Writing Contest Gala

The 2021 OWC Writing Contest Gala happens Saturday, April 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. ... Read More
Nana-Ama Danquah

Emergence: Transforming Our Responses Via the Written Word

Nana-Ama Danquah will lead this two-session workshop on magnifying the use of the written word ... Read More

OWC launches Instagram account

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OWC launches Instagram account

OWC has officially launched on Instagram. Find us at @oregonwriterscolony. Posts will appear on both ... Read More

Join our Facebook groups

 

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Special-focus groups are opening on OWC’s Facebook page. Flash Fiction and Short Stories is up and ready to provide a community for writers who write and/or read short prose.

To join, make sure you are an active follower on our Facebook page and click on groups to find the group that interests you.

Watch for another group on self-publishing coming soon.

Stay in the loop!

Don’t miss out on upcoming events and workshops. The OWC eBlast keeps you up to date.

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Mission Statement

Oregon Writers Colony supports all writers. Members benefit from classes, gain insight from teachers and colleagues, and have access to Colonyhouse, a lovely writing retreat on the Oregon Coast.

Contact Us

Oregon Writers Colony
501(c)(3) non-profit writers' organization dedicated to supporting writers through education and community-building.
Email: info@oregonwriterscolony.org
P.O. Box: 15200
Portland, Oregon 97293-5200
United States
PRIVACY POLICY

Books by OWC Members

012121-Last Harvest Last Harvest 010721 Target Marketing Target Marketing for Authors 120320 Pretty Chrysanthemum Pretty Chrysanthemum 112220 Tainted Times 2 Tainted Times 2 101320 Long Winters Night A Long Winter's Night 101320 Cat Conundrum Cat Conundrum 101320 Midnight Beach Midnight Beach 071820 American Bluebeard American Bluebeard

Join OWC Now

Individual membership $40 per year, with discounts for couples and students.

Benefits:

  • Members’ rates on conferences and workshops
  • Free admission to Literary Lounge
  • Use of Colonyhouse
  • Get a special report, Story Starters for Imagination and Creativity, compiled by OWC member, author, and teacher Lori L. Lake

Join or Renew

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